AT&T Gigabit Fiber Network To Come Online December In Austin

Google is shaking up the ISP field in a big way with its Google Fiber service, and some of the fruit it has shaken loose pertains to AT&T launching a competing service in Austin, which Google has slated as one of the cities to get its gigabit Internet and TV service soon.

AT&T is launching a 100% fiber network that promises gigabit speeds under its U-Verse brand (with GigaPower) along with high-end TV services that include HD-ready whole-home DVR (for up to 8 TVs), which is a step toward competing directly with Google’s Internet-and-TV package.

AT&T is looking to beat Google to the punch, though; the service provider says that it will launch its U-Verse with GigaPower option in December. At the time, speeds will “only” hit about 300Mbps, but the full gigabit speeds will be available in mid-2014.

Google is a formidable foe, and it’s not clear if AT&T can compete--for instance, the company did not reveal pricing, which may be telling--but AT&T’s best chance to grab customers before Google gets them is by beating the search giant to market.